Advocacy support
At the SWRC we recognise that abuse and violence can affect every aspect of a woman’s life. Some of these challenges can include finding a place to live, engaging with the police, child welfare, accessing healthcare, getting financial support, among others.
Our Advocacy team is here to support you to overcome the barriers that you may face as a result of this experience.
We offer information, support, and non-legal advice and representation to advocate for your rights and make sure your voice is heard.
What is advocacy and who is it for?
Advocacy helps people express their views and defend their rights. Our advocacy workers will support you in exploring the options available to you so that you can make informed decisions about what is best for you.
This service is for women aged 16 years old and over living in Scotland who have been affected by violence or abuse.
How can advocacy help?
We can help you with the following:
Explaining legal processes
Communicating with solicitors
Support with complaints processes
Attending court
Reporting a crime
Accessing and engaging with other agencies and support services (housing, benefits, NHS, police, immigration, etc)
If you’re unsure whether we can help, get in touch with us through our helpline (see below) to discuss your circumstances.
Getting advocacy support
Helpline
You can contact our Helpline to speak about the issues affecting you and to get some initial information and advice.
Our Helpline is now working on a triage basis: our experienced advocacy workers will be handling your initial call and they will put you in touch with our solicitors if you need further advice. For more information, you can read more about these changes and find current opening hours and availability.
Non-legal representation
We are temporarily unable to take on more cases for advocacy representation until further notice. Please check back later for updates. Please contact our Helpline or use our contact form if you would like further information on advocacy support.
